Comment on China economy shows unexpected signs of weakness

mdash; Two men have been charged with cutting down the popular 150-year-old Sycamore Gap tree next to Hadrian’s Wall last year in northern England, prosecutors said Tuesday. Daniel Graham, 38, and Adam Carruthers, 31, were charged with causing criminal damage and damaging the wall built in A. D. 122 by Emperor Hadrian to guard the northwest frontier of the Roman Empire. They were ordered to appear in Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on May 15. The sycamore’s majestic canopy between two hills made it a popular subject for landscape photographers.

(PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti) — Haiti’s newly installed transitional council chose former Sports Minister Fritz Belizaire as the country’s prime minister Tuesday as it presses forward in its monumental task of trying to establish a stable new government amid stifling violence. Belizaire replaces Michel Patrick Boisvert, the former minister of economy and finance who was the current interim prime minister.

LONDON — A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a east London suburb Tuesday, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four others, British authorities said. A 36-year-old man was arrested in a residential area near Hainault subway station, police said. The incident is not being treated as terror-related or a “targeted attack.” [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Police said the 14-year-old died in the hospital from his injuries.

King Charles III officially returned to public duties on Tuesday, following a months-long period of recuperation since being diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer in February. The 75-year-old monarch opted for a cause close to home to mark his return to work. King Charles and Queen Camilla visited a cancer treatment center in London, where he greeted doctors, held hands with patients, and gave out gifts to children.

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, became the first member of the British royal family to visit Ukraine since Russia launched its full scale invasion of the country in February 2022. Sophie is the wife of Prince Edward, the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II, and brother of King Charles III. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] The Duchess met Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska during the Monday visit.

Brands across the world have felt the impact of a growing Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement that pro-Palestinian activists have pushed to pressure and punish companies that are perceived to support Israel’s deadly military campaign in Gaza. But the impact has been most pronounced in Muslim-majority countries across the Middle East and Southeast Asia, where boycotts on several fast-food chains have begun to pose an existential threat to franchisees despite pushback from local operators against allegations that their businesses are tied to Israel. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] QSR Brands, the franchise holder for KFC in Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia, announced on Monday that it is temporarily shuttering over 100 KFC outlets across the country, local media reported, as it looks to “manage increasing business costs and focus on high-engagement zones.” The move comes amid a Malaysia-wide boycott against the fried chicken establishment, as activists criticize its U.